Three Most Wanted

By that I mean POINTS!!

Another away game for us then, but thankfully not too far for the team to travel tomorrow so no excuse for fatigue or stiff muscles after getting off a ten minute coach ride 😉

Three points tomorrow and we are right back up with the big boys, and that is exactly what we need to be tomorrow evening – Big Boys, with a big performance. Last season we were dreadful in this fixture, the game almost dominated by some old dodgy dipper called Murphy, well that won’t happen this time around.

Song is a better player now and he won’t allow Murphy to have such a good time, no, he will boss the midfield allowing Cesc to do what he does best – play with freedom and let his passing split open the Fulham defence time after time (see a Song)

We have Arshavin and Walcott back, fighting fit and desperate to start, we have Thomas Rosicky so surely that will mean no play for Diaby or Eboue from the start? I hope that is the case.

The back four picks itself I think – the only question is who plays in goal? Will it be Mannone, Szczesny or Almunia – I am not so sure there much between them, maybe a good game to stick with one of the younger two, let them get more confidence. I would go with Mannone, because it’s easier to spell 😉

The midfield – well we know Cesc and Song are going to be there, so who is the third, I am guessing he will play a 4-3-3 so if he does I would go with Rosicky – boy it’s great to see him back 🙂

Then the front three and I guess this is where we will all disagree, I would love to see Arshavin, Theo and Eduardo – I don’t care on which side of the park they play in fact I wish they would have freedom to roam. I remember we used to see Bobby on the left, Freddie on the right, the next minute it was the other way round. The defence won’t like it if they swap around a bit 😛

Maybe he will go for a 4-2-2 as we are away, I would play the same team but slot Arshavin into the midfield and play Theo and Eduardo up front. Yesterday I got my hopes up about Vela playing tomorrow, but he is ‘not ready’…

Surely, that team will be able to spank Fulham. So on to Fulham….
Funny old start to the season for them, bit like us really!

They have lost to Chelsea, Villa and Wolves, but have beaten Pompey and Everton. Doesn’t tell us much really, they have only played two games at home winning one and losing one. The Chavs beat them at Craven Cottage 2-0, so I say let’s go and beat them by three goals at least!

Up front they have that little weasel Johnson, who loves to score against us, but I expect TV to deal with him easily. My main concern is Big Brede on set pieces, he did it to us last season and we can’t let that happen again so I just hope TV and Gallas have their stilettos’ on for a little extra height 😛

Greening, Duff and Davies? Could cause a problem, but somehow I don’t think so. I don’t know enough about any of their other players to comment.

Other than that, on paper the game should end with us securing all three points and a good weekend can be had by all of us. Then it’s back to the CL on Tuesday, a nice home game…

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Jonjon phoned last night rico.. he is doing really well got himself sorted and bought a house.
Problem he has is no internet connection and others have been taking the piss at work so they banned it there.
But I think he will be back when he is sorted.. 🙂

Spanish U21 star Cesar Azpilicueta has confirmed that he is aware of the rumours linking him with a move to Arsenal, but stressed that they remain just that, as he is yet to speak to anyone from the North London club.

The Osasuna right-back, who has represented Spain at all youth levels is one of country’s hottest young prospects and despite just turning 20 last month has already enjoyed two seasons in La Liga.

Arsenal is one of many clubs monitoring his progress, however Azpilicueta is more than happy to continue his development at Osasuna.

“I know of rumours linking me with Arsenal but I have yet to speak with anybody from the club,

“At the moment, I can only concentrate on working with Osasuna and progressing my football.” (Sun)

Arsène Wenger is free to re-invest the profit he made from his summer trading but feels his “unbelievable” squad can already compete for the title without further investment.

The Arsenal manager sold Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure during the close season, bringing in only Thomas Vermaelen as a replacement. If you believe the reported figures, that is a profit of around £30 million.

His relative lack of expenditure has been discussed in the wake of recent defeats in Manchester but, speaking at the official opening of the Highbury Square development, the Frenchman put up a robust defence of his position.

“We sold Kolo and Adebayor but bought Vermaelen,” he said. “That money is for me. I know how much I have and I am happy with it.

“But last week we played Wigan. We won 4-0 and on the bench I had Bendtner [while] Walcott, Arshavin, Nasri, Denilson and Djourou were not playing.

“Do we have the squad to compete with the other [‘Big’] four? I say yes.

“We have an unbelievable squad. Where do you put all the talented players?

“I believe we can show that we are not in a position where we need to buy. For me, we are in a position where we want to transform our potential into being real Premier League contenders.”

Hope you are right ave, we need him. We should be in the latter stages of the CL after Christmas, the FA Cup and still in the chase for the EPL – i don’t think we have enough fire power right now.. The good thing is he has come out publicly and said he does have money and should January arrive and we are not far off the top, I reckon he will bolster with a bit of experience to help us over the line.

Arsenal winger Theo Walcott is desperate to kick-start his campaign after a shoulder problem last season robbed him of the best form of his career.

The 20-year-old was injured in November and was sidelined for four months, meaning he could not build on his famous hat-trick for England against Croatia in Zagreb.

After returning to full fitness from that injury, Walcott has since been hampered by a side strain and has not played since the summer.

“I think my game was going to a new level before I got injured but you always get the odd injury,” Walcott told the London Evening Standard. “Hopefully this will be my last one.

“I haven’t had much of a pre-season or any games. I’ve had 45 minutes and that’s it – it will take me a few games to get back into the flow but I am raring to go and I am sure it will come.”

Walcott took inspiration from Arsenal team-mate Tomas Rosicky, who has just returned after being sidelined since January 2008.

“It is always frustrating when you are injured – you don’t want to be sitting on the sidelines watching your team-mates struggle – as we did at times last season,” he said.

“The best thing is just to come in all smiles when you have your treatment and work very hard when you are out injured.

“For me, just watching Tomas Rosicky was an inspiration because he was out for 20 months and, by comparison, me being out for a few months is no big deal.”

Walcott is keen to fit into the new formation of Gunners manager Arsene Wenger.

“The boss has changed the formation to 4-3-3 and I think that will help us play more attacking football and free me up down that right side,” said Walcott.

“I played for Southampton Under-17s in a 4-3-3 formation on the right wing and I really enjoyed it. It gives me the chance to go and attack defenders and I can’t wait to get back into the team and show what I can do.”

Big talk Theo, good on you, I for one hope you take your chance and show us all how good we want to believe you are 😉

Raddy – like you, I think he is a player yet to be at his best and injuries really mucked up last season for him – many think I am a tad biased towards him because he is a local lad to me, but its not that, I really think he will be a great player – he needs to gain confidence in his own ability.. I am sure its there, it just needs to come out, and we sometimes forget that he is still younger than most…

I’ve really had enough of these ridculous team selections …. it’s painfully predictable. Fulham beat us twice last season. We need to play our best team in every prem match and choose players to play our kind of football, not pick sides to negate the strengths of the opposition. I think RVP is a luxury … better to have Dudu and Rosicky rather than RVP and Diaby (or Rosicky for Nik)

Same old, same old….Vela, Rosicky and Dudu would give us some attacking edge. There are no triangles. When we have the ball in midfield there is often only one choice of pass and that gets intercepted. The players are not showing for the bal, I think its a lack of confidence in the ability of players around them.

Sometimes mr wenger picks the tall players like Diaby and Bendtner for tactical reasons.. I’d prefer the opposition to worry about us like the old days.. we knew our best team, so did the opposition, but they still couldn’t beat us..

No, was just busy …. you of all people should know that all I want is for Arsenal to win and if a player proves me wrong I am delighted = Song last season …. having said that I don’t think he is anywhere near as good as at the end of last season yet.

Cesc’s pass for RVP’s goal made up for all his previous misdirected efforts …..

I am surprised no-one has suggested that we may have discovered our best keeper today….. It’s too early to jump to conclusions, but why would you drop Mannone for any of the others after today’s performance?

What feels so good about yesterday for me is that it’s us who have scored the goal and dug in to defend and not concede – its us who are thinking ‘what a display by our keeper’ – so many times we have come away from a game where we have been the team who faces a side with a keeper who has made so many saves to prevent us from getting anything.

That feels good.

The more I see that double save from Mannone, the more I wonder whether Almunia would have been able to do that, I am not sure, but I don’t think so.

Rasp – I am with you all the way on your last comment, Mannone definately deserves to play on Tuesday and for as long as he continues to perform in such a way – 10 out of 10 for me, if he can play like that at 21 years old and improves, just maybe we have a world class keeper in our camp….. Finally!

Hiya Freire – People reckon that Cesc didn’t have any interest in playing for the mighty Arsenal anymore because he didn’t celebrate his goal, which was our fourth, against Wigan when he ran half the length of the pitch to get there with a sore ankle.

Cesc is doing fine – a few stray passes but not too many players could pick out the pass like he did yesterday.

I think some Arsenal fans like to create doomsday scenarios so they have something to moan about. Cesc is Arsenal, he is our captain and he will do his best while he is here. If people start moaning about him and his performances then he’ll be off and I wouldn’t blame him – so much for fans and support eh?!

I find it incredible the level of self worth some Arsenal fans have. Nothing is ever good enough for them – no wonder we have a label of being spoilt brats.

Freire, a win is a win, what is the point in playing a team off the park, having 60% posession, but no points when the final whistle blows??

In an ideal world the beautiful football would get us the points, and many many games it will. But for me, guts, grit and three points is what counts and yesterday we did just that, and against a Fulham side who look really good under RH

I think we will win against the Dippers – a tough draw yes, but they play their kids too and I just think ours are good enough to get by them. We do miss Merida and Hoyte though.

Won 3 Leagues.
Won 4 FA Cups.
Won The Cup Winners Cup.
Won The League Unbeaten.
Been Runners-Up in the Cup Winners Cup, UEFA Cup and Champions League.
Been in the Champions League 12 seasons in a row.
Never finished outside the top 4 under Wenger.
At times played football unseen elsewhere.
Have had players like Wright, Bergkamp, Pires, Adams, Keown, Henry, Arshavin, Fabregas, Vieira, Van Persie to watch week in and week out.

We build a new stadium which always brings a few seasons of uncertainty – although in this time we have been in a Champions League title, come within 4 points of winning the league and make the Carling Cup final with a bunch of kids – and what do people do??? Bloody moan………….

Only Manchester United can claim more than Arsenal in recent history but oh no not good enough for some. Gets my goat!!!!!

But Rico, look: Yesterday we played ugly and got three points. Against Man City, we had the whole match for us, but they got three points. That’s the question: Arsenal is not constant. I don’t know what makes us so inconstant inside the pitch. We can’t deceive ourselves. I don’t even know how big is our luck for games like yesterday.

And, Cesc doesn’t want to play in a team that has players who don’t want to play for Arsenal.

Freire, Cesc and Ade – there is nothing similar in their attitude to our club, nothing! Cesc is an honest guy who loves the club, Ade, well I am not allowed to post the words I would use to describe him!!

Sincerely, Rico & Irish, I don’t trust in any players. Since Henry is gone, I’m not suprised if all of our players go away for some great title and money. Adebayor didn’t surprised me, and I wouldn’t be if Cesc goes too.

The point is: Cesc is a highly rated player over the world. He knows what he can do. We know too. And, in my opinion, Cesc would go away toget some great title with another big team from Europe if we don’t have attitude of a winner team.

Rico – I trusted a lot in Henry, and he is the best for me yet. He is gone since 08 ( i think) and i keep on loving him. But I learnt not to hold on any player. When Henry went to Barça, I cried a lot, really. Players are just players, and in this world, unfortunatelly, money and titles talk higher.

irish- I know they want to win. But if everyone wants to win, why did we lose against Manure and Citeh playing so good?

Spot on again Irish – there are many clubs around us who could at any time be ‘the new Leeds’ – it won’t be us as AW is too clever with money, as is the board 🙂

Freire – Henry had to go for him, not because he wanted too imho – he and his wife broke up and he needed to get away – many peaople in life have to do that, I am just glad we had him at AFC for the time we did – and even now he talks of us as ‘his home and family’ – I bare no grudge. Same with NikNak, he needed to go too

We are doing just mighty fine, yes it’s frustrating to have so much of the ball and come away with nothing, but we are far from out of this season’s race right now – and far far better than last season.

……….Arsenal have revealed an increase in turnover and a record profit after tax but chairman Peter Hill-Wood insists results on the pitch will always come first.

The turnover of the Gunners’ parent company went up to £313.3million from £223m for the year ending 31st May, while their profit was an all-time high of £35.2million.

Arsenal’s move to Emirates Stadium in 2006 – funded by a long-term loan at a fixed interest rate – continues to pay dividends, with matchday revenue increased to £100.1m from £94.6m which was mainly down to progress to the semi-finals of both the UEFA Champions League and FA Cup.

Operating profits, before depreciation and player trading, in the football business were up from £59.6m to £62.7m.

The Highbury Square development, meanwhile, remains robust despite the difficult financial climate and falling house prices, with the completion of 208 private apartments bringing in £88m, while, since the end of the financial year, more units have been sold at the club’s former ground.

We haven’t bought much dross for a couple of years – but then we haven’t bought many players in the last few years … 🙄

Hangeland certainly looked like he was trying to prove a point at the weekend. He was playing in midfiled, defence and attack. I’d still prefer TV but it would have been interesting to see how the two would have played together. Gallas is doing well at the moemnet, but will he stay fit and can we get another 2 seasons out of him I wonder?

Tonight’s game throws up the mouth watering prospect of Fabregas, Arshavin and Rosicky on the pitch at the same time. But I suspect that Wenger will persist with Diaby. The up side being that this will bring an end to this experiment sooner rather than later. Due to injuries Diaby has never had a decent run in the team so now that he has one he is either going to show that he has got it or Wenger is going to realise that he hasn’t. I hope the former happens and he sets the league alight but at the moment he seems to be more on course to confirm the latter.